THE CRACKS THEY MADE ABOUT INVASION (1944)

Some of these stories were told with a grin back home. Others were purveyed with
an air of almost comical seriousness, but all reflected the mood of the people, dealt
one pervading topic of national conversation. Samples:

I'm. told the Second Front is opening on Friday afternoon. If wet, it will take place the Albert Hall.’

There won’t be a Second Front until the Autumn. After all, with half Europe starving, we're not fools enough to do anything until the harvest has been gathered in.”

There's not going to be a Second Front at all. It’s all bluff. Hitler's dead; died of cancer sevcral months ago. We're only waiting for the German people to find out about it. When they do, Germany will collapse.”

A German soldier, standing all alone on the beach near Calais, was askcd what he was waiting for. "Why, I'm waiting for the Second Front,” he said. "But aren't you fed up?" "Oh, no," he answered. "It's a permanent job, and there’s a pension to it.”

See also THE OFFICIAL RUN-AROUND IN WHITEHALL - 1944 and WHAT'S WRONG WITH PRE-FABS?